DARIO Gradi admitted he was relieved after his side guaranteed their League Two safety.

Crewe required just a point to avoid getting dragged into a relegation battle and they got it at Aldershot on Saturday.

Clayton Donaldson gave them a first minute lead but Ben Harding levelled for 1-1.

Gradi said: “I am relieved to have got the point we needed. I knew that it was highly unlikely that we would be dragged into it but I have been in football a long time and I know that highly unlikely things can still happen.

“We have been on a bad run and Grimsby and those below us have been on a fairly decent run, so we had to make sure we did it ourselves.

“We didn’t play particularly well here this afternoon but the players were fine and created a lot of good chances.

“We have disappointed our supporters over the last three seasons, we all know that, and our home form has been poor this season.

“We have a home game coming up next and although I might change one or two, I won’t be making a lot of changes because we don’t want to end the season on a poor run of form.”

There were two changes to the Alex side that lost to Bury in midweek.

Calvin Zola was in at the expense of Shaun Miller while Simon Walton was handed a start instead of the injured Steve Schumacher.

It took Crewe just 60 seconds to take the lead after Zola sent Donaldson racing through and the striker beat keeper Jamie Young.

After 10 minutes Mat Mitchel-King blocked a shot with his face and was substituted. Patrick Ada replaced him.

Ada did brilliantly to deny Dean Morgan an equaliser with a sliding tackle.

With just four minutes left of the half Harding swung in a cross and under pressure keeper Steve Phillips allowed it to go in at the near post.

Harry Worley limped off and was replaced in the heart of defence by John Brayford. Danny Shelley came off the bench and Ashley Westwood dropped to right back.

In stoppage time Donaldson got through but fired over.

In the second half Zola’s strike was well saved by Young and Ada blocked well from Morgan.

Both sides had chances to win it with Donaldson guilty of spurning Crewe’s best.

In stoppage time Morgan’s 20 yard effort struck the Crewe post and bounced away to safety.